


Ready

by weirdpurplepanda



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Akashi is a bit of a dick, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Basketball, Does anyone understand anything?, Fluff and Angst, I don't think they do, Kagami is confused as hell, Kuroko just wants to meet his soulmate already, Love, M/M, Marks, Mental Anguish, Sassy, Shock, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tsundere Midorima
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-18
Packaged: 2018-04-12 16:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4486272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weirdpurplepanda/pseuds/weirdpurplepanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The journey of the Generation of Miracles meeting their soulmates is a very emotional and frustrating one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Honestly, all this soulmate stuff... Well, Kuroko is rather taken by the idea, not that he would ever admit that to anyone. He just finds it all incredibly romantic. Having a mark on you that would only appear when you were ready to be with your soulmate and they were ready to be with you. Then, having that mark appear a bright colour (usually red or blue) when you made contact with said soulmate.

Kuroko couldn't wait for his mark to appear. He certainly felt ready to be with and meet his soulmate and although he understood he needed to wait for his soulmate to also be ready, he's growing impatient. 

As a child, Kuroko always admired the love that his parents have. He still does admire it, although now it looks to them and imagine himself with his own bride, whoever she may be. 

They always told one another they loved each other and Kuroko's father treats his mother like a princess. Of course, neither were perfect and they had a healthy amount of spats and tiffs but they always resolved things quickly, unable to stay anger at their loved one. 

When he was in Teiko, Kuroko wasn't overly surprised to find that few of his classmates had their marks. Some did but most people got their marks at the start of High School or perhaps towards the end. Some, obviously, had to wait longer. Not everyone fell in love with people around their age and so some would be almost twenty when their future partner got to an age where they felt ready to be with their future husband or wife.

None of the Generation of Miracles talked about their marks and when they'd get them in Teiko. Kuroko had heard Kise mention them but he was certainly more interested in other things in Middle School. He loved girls and dating, yes, but he wasn't exactly keen on settling. He was always changing his mind. 

Kuroko would often sit and wonder who in their group would be the first to get their mark. He felt that he was certainly the first to feel ready but when you add the element of their soulmates needing to be ready, it was much harder to decide. 

In the end, Kuroko decided that Murasakibara and Midorima would be the last of them, most likely. He thought that he and Akashi would be the first.

He was wrong, though. Very wrong. Most were shocked at who, of the six of them, was the first. Mainly because he's cold and 1000% a tsundere.  

Yes, Midorima was the first to receive his mark and find his soulmate. In fact, he got his mark and found his soulmate in less than twenty four hours. 


	2. Midorima: One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midorima gets his mark, panics and call his mother.

When he woke up that morning, he just  _knew_ that something was different. After getting up, showering and dressing, Midorima checked Oha Asa and his frown deepened when he discovered that Cancer ranked as the luckiest of all the signs today. He was pleased, naturally, and immediately went to his collection to get his lucky item for the day but he didn't like how the predictions didn't help explain this feeling of unease he felt in the pit of his stomach.

Midorima sets his lucky item on the counter in the kitchen before he prepares his breakfast and sits. He eats slowly, feeling very awkward and out of place despite his sign having a good day. He rereads the horoscope three times but doesn't understand how any of it could explain what this feeling was about.

Luckiest of all the signs. A good day for money and love. Lucky item is a rubber duck.

It was when he entered the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth that Midorima spots it.

On his neck, there it was. His mark, there was no mistaking it. It was three shades darker than his skin and the shape isn't a natural one at all. It looks like an upside-down child's potty or a booster step for a kid.

Midorima's eyebrows knit together, confused. He doesn't want his soulmate. Isn't the mark meant to only appear when he and his 'soulmate' are ready to be together? He doesn't feel ready to be in a relationship.

Something must be wrong. It shouldn't have appeared yet. He didn't magically become willing and ready for a romantic relationship over night!  _...Did he?_

Panic settles in the pit of Midorima's stomach and before he can properly register what exactly he's doing, he's got his mobile in his hand and is calling his mother.

Midrorima may not seem like the type to go running to his mother but he usually isn't but this... this is something that he doesn't have any idea how to handle. So he felt no shame in panicking and contacting his mother (it wasn't like anyone would know that he called her two minutes after discovering his mark, anyway...).

"Shintaro?" comes a tired voice through the phone speaker.

Midorima bites his lip, a flash of guilt showing across his face at the thought of waking his mother. He's a mummy's boy, what can he say? Besides, it's not as if anyone was here... Not that he has a problem with people knowing he loves his mother. It's just embarrassing.

"Mother... I have a question."

"It must be important for you to call so early. Don't you need to be at school soon?" She asks and Midorima can hear rustling of covers as she gets out of bed.

She would be alone, his father already left for work. Midorima was calmed by that fact, having had too many embarrassing moments where Kise or Takao put him on loudspeaker with lots of people around.

"When your... mark appeared... did you feel any different? Did you feel ready?" He questions, voice trailing off slightly.

She isn't stupid. Midorima knows that she'll understand why he's-

"You got your mark?! Oh, sweetie! I'm so proud of you! Tell me, what shape is it? Do you think you know the person it relates to you?" Her tone immediately goes from sleepy to excited and Midorima instantly regrets the decision he made to phone... Okay, so maybe it does make him a little bit happy to hear his mother is happy.

"It's... It looks like a step."

"A step?" Her confusion is evident.

"Like something a child would use to reach a shelf. I think that's what it's meant to be."

"Perhaps your soulmate is much shorter than you but that's hardly a surprise. I'm sure the step will become something significant between you and your soulmate."

There's a pause and then Midorima blurts "I don't feel ready."

After a moment, his mother laughs gently. "Neither did I, Shintaro. But when you meet them, I'm sure you won't feel that way anymore. The mark appears when you're ready. You acknowledging the fact you want to be in a relationship may not occur for some time."

"All right. I... Thank you, mother."

"You're welcome. Now, go get ready for school. When you meet them, let me know. I want to know everything. Promise me you'll call so we can all arrange to meet once you've settled."

"It could be years before I meet her, mother." Midorima sighs, trying his best to not sound hopeful.

"Or it could be hours. You don't know-"

"I need to go." He interrupts her, not only because he doesn't want to hear what she wants to say but also because he does need to go.

"Oh!" She laughs. "Of course. I'll talk to you soon. I love you."

"I love you too, mother..." He mumbles, embarrassed.

She laughs again before hanging up.

Sighing once again, Midorima lifts a hand to his neck, rubbing the spot where his mark is.  _Why is this happening?_  He asks himself, letting his eyes fall closed. He's not even been up for two hours yet and he already feels exhausted.

Midorima pulls his school jacket up, not caring that he looks stupid – just needing to hide the damn mark and then he finishes preparing himself for school. Cancer may be the luckiest of all the signs but he can already tell today will not be a fun day.

He receives a number of odd looks throughout the day but Midorima couldn't care less about what these simpletons he has to call peers think of him.

Takao falls into the seat beside him at lunch and looks at him with that annoying, teasing smile he has. The black haired boy opens his mouth to comment but Midorima glares at him.

"Say one word and I will ensure you _never_ breath a word again." He practically growls the words.

The threat wasn't anything different from the usual threats that didn't stop Takao making his dumbass comments so something in Midorima's expression or tone must have got the message through because Takao didn't comment on the fact his collar was pulled up and instead stared talking about the usual rubbish that Midorima barely listens to.

It's when he's about to change for practise Midorima realises that hiding the mark all day had been completely pointless as now the whole team are likely to find out (all it takes is for Takao to spot it and then everyone within a five metre radius will know within seconds and within hours, half the school wound know).

Sighing, the green haired boy quickly changes and decides that it could be a lot worse. Well, actually,  _no_ , that's a lie. It couldn't be worse.

"This is going to be humiliating." Midorima mumbles to himself before walking into the gym.


	3. Midorima: Two

He wasn't even in the room a full minute before someone notices the mark. He isn't sure who exactly it is but there's a loud call of "Oi, everyone, look who got their mark." which is followed by someone adding "Guess that explains why he's been making that fashion statement all day!" 

Midorima glares at the ground and closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Shouldn't you all be practising?" He asks, raising his head so his glare is now directed at them.   
  
A few of the people on the team whose names Midorima hasn't bothered to learn flinch and hurry off to practise. They must be first years like him.   
  
After being teased by his upperclassman (mainly Miyaji who seemed far too amused that Midorima actually had a soulmate - Midorima was surprised he wasn't angry with the late start to practise), Midorima is approached by Takao... who says nothing. He just picks up a basketball and begins to practice, driving past Midorima with ease as the taller boy was too confused by Takao not saying a word.   
  
"Hah!" Takao exclaims. "I got past Shin-chan! Captain, captain! I got past Shin-chan!"   
  
Midorima frowns. Did Takao just-  
  
"Doesn't count when you do it while his mind is elsewhere." replies Otsubo.    
  
Realising he's been used, Midorima glares for what is the millionth time today. He reaches out to smack Takao but the other moves out of his reach, used to needing to avoid being beaten by now. 

After they (Midorima) gets passed this, everything seems to return to normal. The mood shifts to a serious one and they all began to practice. 

"Do you have your mark yet?" Midorima asks Takao randomly as they run up and down the gym. 

Takao shakes his head. "No, I don't. I don't think my soulmate is ready."

Midorima feels something settle in his stomach. It's an ugly feeling and Midorima chooses to ignore it, not wanting the feeling identified at all. He doesn't care that Takao hasn't got his mark. He doesn't. 

Soon, they stop running and Takao walks over to aother pair of first years that he's been working with recently to help all three of them improve. 

Midorima is sometimes amazed at the shift in Takao during practising. One moment he's cracking dumb puns and the next he's extremely focused (still light hearted, though). In some ways Midorima admires the shorter boy... Not that he'll ever admit that to anyone, ever. In fact, he actively tries to make the opposite seem true. 

Sighing and telling himself that no one cares about the mark, that basketball is far more important to everyone of them than his dumb mark, Midorima starts to practise shooting now that they're running exercise for endurance is over.

After ten minutes, he's so focused that he can barely hear those around him. 

Takao is practising driving and dribbling with a few other first years who also like the position of point guard and look up to him. He tries not to let the praise they give him go to his head but it's so different from the way Midorima treats him that he can't help it when his heart swells in pride. 

He throws the ball to one of the first years and grins. "C'mon, you try and drive past me now."

The other boy nods, a determined look coming over his face. He starts dribbling and is just about to drive when his friend yells for him to go the other way. Automatically reacting to the words, the boy drives the other way. Straight into Takao. 

"Ugh." grunts Takao, winded as he begins to stumble backwards... straight into Shin-chan. 

The other first years yelp and quickly start to move away. 

Everyone in the room freezes when two bright lights, both green, light up from Midorima's neck and from the back of Takao's shoulder. Midorima panics for the second time today, frozen in his position where he was preparing to shoot.

 _Takao?!_ His soulmate is... Takao. 

What? Just... What? 

He feels like a computer that's had too much information put into it. He's struggling to understand this data. 

His soulmate is Takao. His best friend and teammate. The boy that had saw him as an enemy but somehow became his best friend and even called him by a dumb nickname. Midorima nearly hits himself when he realises what his mark is about. The step. The fucking kiddie step that Takao had brought for himself to keep at Midorima's flat so he could reach the things up on the top shelves.

How the hell had he not seen that?!

Oh, God. He thinks he might be sick. This is the worst way for him to find out who his soulmate is. Not only is Midorima barely over the fact that his mark is actually there but the  _whole_  team is watching them. Midorima ignores the way his heart pangs at the fact Takao must be just as embarrassed. 

In the back of his mind, Midorima knows that he shouldn't be that surprised. He has always been... fond of Takao. In a way. Takao had a certain charm about him. Not that Midorima could ever admit that to anyone but himself. Well, sometimes himself. Most of the time he just shoved all the feelings like this to the very back until he barely knew they were there. 

"Wait." Midorima says, suddenly able to move. He turns to face Takao. Everyone is watching. "Why didn't you say that you got your mark? You left me to be embarrassed all by myself." He huffs and pushes up his glasses. 

Takao stares up at Midorima with wide eyes. "I- I didn't know. It's on my back." 

Midorima stares back at him, suddenly nervous. What the hell does he do now? He grows more aware of their audience and glances to the side at their teammates before shifting awkwardly.

Would they think that he's even more of an outcast now that it's clear his soulmate is a man? Midorima himself isn't bothered that it's a guy and he supposes that there are worse people than Takao.

Wait. What? No, no. What the _hell_ is he thinking?! It's  _Takao._  He can't have a relationship with Takao.

 "Shin-chan... Stop just staring at me." 

"What am I meant to do then, idiot?" Midorima huffs. 

"You could kiss me..." Takao offers the taller man a cheeky smile.

Midorima frowns before he turns on his heel and walks out of the gym.


End file.
